dog supplement dog antioxidant dog health antioxidant supplement for dogs healthy aging
Theories of Aging
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What turns a puppy into an old dog?
There are over 300 theories on why animals age. Below are three of the leading theories.
Free Radical Theory of Aging
In 1956 it was posited by Denham Harmon that oxidative damage via free radicals caused
cumulative damage that was the underlying mechanism of aging. Most of his specific
theories related to free radicals and aging have proved true over the last half century.
There is no longer any question that free radicals cause widespread damage in animals and
can help cause early mortality. The difference in species ability to deal with free radicals has
been forwarded as a scientifically persuasive explanation in the variation in lifespan. In fact
every species has some type of antioxidant defense (oxygen can be a free radical), which
speaks both to the inherent problems of aerobic life and the value of dampening the damage
oxygen can cause.
cumulative damage that was the underlying mechanism of aging. Most of his specific
theories related to free radicals and aging have proved true over the last half century.
There is no longer any question that free radicals cause widespread damage in animals and
can help cause early mortality. The difference in species ability to deal with free radicals has
been forwarded as a scientifically persuasive explanation in the variation in lifespan. In fact
every species has some type of antioxidant defense (oxygen can be a free radical), which
speaks both to the inherent problems of aerobic life and the value of dampening the damage
oxygen can cause.
What is a free radical? A free radical is a
molecule that has an extra electron. This
extra electron can make it interact with other
molecules in a potentially damaging
manner. These free radical molecules will
attempt to steal an electron from stable
molecules. If they succeed they turn that
stable molecule into a free radical. A
cascade of sorts can occur.
molecule that has an extra electron. This
extra electron can make it interact with other
molecules in a potentially damaging
manner. These free radical molecules will
attempt to steal an electron from stable
molecules. If they succeed they turn that
stable molecule into a free radical. A
cascade of sorts can occur.
Not all free radicals are bad. They are essential for many of a dogs bodily functions. But too
much of certain types of free radicals are damaging. And dog’s bodies like ours have the
ability to produce more free radicals than what the body can handle. Antioxidants are used
as a way of limiting excess damage of free radicals. Some of the most effective antioxidants
are found in Paws de Leon.
As dogs age their ability to use oxygen effectively lessens. This increases oxidative stress
and unfortunately older dogs have a less efficient endogenous antioxidant system
(antioxidants that a dog produces inside their body) which ultimately leads to more damage
from free radicals. And the repair system that corrects damage done inside the body of older
dogs is also often working at less than optimum levels. What does this mean? It means that
old age can be a vicious feedback loop where the pace of cellular damage increases rapidly
and leads to a greater chance of disease. It is thought that antioxidants such as green tea,
turmeric extract, milk thistle, ashwagandha, bacopa, alpha lipoic acid and the like can help
slow down the rate of oxidative damage.
much of certain types of free radicals are damaging. And dog’s bodies like ours have the
ability to produce more free radicals than what the body can handle. Antioxidants are used
as a way of limiting excess damage of free radicals. Some of the most effective antioxidants
are found in Paws de Leon.
As dogs age their ability to use oxygen effectively lessens. This increases oxidative stress
and unfortunately older dogs have a less efficient endogenous antioxidant system
(antioxidants that a dog produces inside their body) which ultimately leads to more damage
from free radicals. And the repair system that corrects damage done inside the body of older
dogs is also often working at less than optimum levels. What does this mean? It means that
old age can be a vicious feedback loop where the pace of cellular damage increases rapidly
and leads to a greater chance of disease. It is thought that antioxidants such as green tea,
turmeric extract, milk thistle, ashwagandha, bacopa, alpha lipoic acid and the like can help
slow down the rate of oxidative damage.
Mitochondrial Theory of Aging
This is a refinement on the free radical theory of aging. It was
Denham Harmon who theorized in 1972 that most of the free
radicals are produced in the energy powerhouses of our body, the
mitochondria. Mitochondria are especially vulnerable to free
radical damage because of the large amount of free radicals
created in the energy process and they lack some of the defenses
against free radicals that exists in other parts of the cell.
Denham Harmon who theorized in 1972 that most of the free
radicals are produced in the energy powerhouses of our body, the
mitochondria. Mitochondria are especially vulnerable to free
radical damage because of the large amount of free radicals
created in the energy process and they lack some of the defenses
against free radicals that exists in other parts of the cell.
Alpha lipoic acid is an extremely good antioxidant to help prevent free radical damage in
mitochondria and elsewhere in the body.
mitochondria and elsewhere in the body.
Glycation Theory of Aging
What is glycation? This is when sugars in
the body react non-enzymatically with
proteins. This was discovered in 1912 by
the French physician and chemist Louis
Maillard. Glycation, like free radicals, is
necessary for the life of a dog. However
advanced glycation end products (AGE’s)
can occur as the process of glycation
continues and some of these AGE’s
accumulate and cause cross-linking of
proteins. These cross linked proteins are
associated with harmful effects in the
body of dogs. They are associated with
diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and
cancer. L-carnosine is an effective way
to prevent some of this cross linking.
the body react non-enzymatically with
proteins. This was discovered in 1912 by
the French physician and chemist Louis
Maillard. Glycation, like free radicals, is
necessary for the life of a dog. However
advanced glycation end products (AGE’s)
can occur as the process of glycation
continues and some of these AGE’s
accumulate and cause cross-linking of
proteins. These cross linked proteins are
associated with harmful effects in the
body of dogs. They are associated with
diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and
cancer. L-carnosine is an effective way
to prevent some of this cross linking.
*There are other theories on why animals age. You can find more information here.
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Research from the Karolinska Institute,
Sweden and published in Nature found that
using mice with specific defects in the ability
to repair mitochondria seem to confirm
Harmon's theory that damage to the
mitochondria does indeed play a significant
role in ageing. The mice that lacked the
ability to properly repair mitochondria had
lives that were almost 3x shorter and showed
premature bone loss, hair loss, weight loss,
fertility decline, heart muscle abnormalities
and other signs of aging.
Sweden and published in Nature found that
using mice with specific defects in the ability
to repair mitochondria seem to confirm
Harmon's theory that damage to the
mitochondria does indeed play a significant
role in ageing. The mice that lacked the
ability to properly repair mitochondria had
lives that were almost 3x shorter and showed
premature bone loss, hair loss, weight loss,
fertility decline, heart muscle abnormalities
and other signs of aging.
